I have fair skin and black hair. As I approached, and then entered menopause, the hair growing on my face spiraled out of control. I was plucking chin and upper lip hairs every single day. Electrolysis made all the difference for me. I personally did not find it very painful at all. There was a stinging sensation which lasted a few seconds and then it was completely gone. My upper lip was more sensitive than my chin, but still very, very manageable. I had no irritation ever following the procedure. I am a very hairy person so it took a while to rid my face of the hair, but I am very happy with the results, which have been permanent for me. Absolutely no regrets and I found the cost very reasonable.
Hello, thank you for your comment: can be you be specific on how many session per week you did? And if you need to go every day ...? If you don't mind sharing this detail. Many thanks
@@AB-mh6nj I went once every couple of weeks for a long time (probably a year or so), then tapered off to once a month, and then only on an as needed basis. I knew it would take a long time, but I was ok with that and the results were worth it.
I am 67 and I have had male like facial hair since I was 19. Went to several doctors. No one could tell me why, after testing, etc. i dont know if pcos was around in 1976, but it was never mentioned. So, i have been shaving almost daily ever since. Just my way of life, i guess.
If there is still pigment in that hair you can have it lasered and or electrolysis. It’s worth it if I were you. I had my armpit hair lasered and it got rid of most of my hair in those areas very good investment
Thanks for this detailed video especially about the causes of dark and thick hairs on women's face. The majority of derms or other people on youtube only say "PCOS" but clearly it's not the only cause as you mentioned. Understanding the roots help a lot to get rid of it or avoiding it to get worse. Some women actually have them lasered and the results were perfect like baby butt but then after a year to few years later, it came back. So it was like a band-aid on the problem instead of solving the problem temporary.
I love my Braun silk expert pro 5, I used it 2 years ago following the instructions, and my legs, bikini area and arms are free of dark hair still. My underarms are much sparser, I could do another round on my underarms, but it's so sparse that it's not that noticable and shaving is not irritating like it used to be. And I used to have ingrowns inflammation on my legs and underarms from sugar waxing, which IPL cleared up completely. One of my best beauty purchases.
I had great luck with early IPLs and removed my leg, bikini, underarm hair. I have dark body hair and very fair skin so I am a good candidate for IPL. However when I used it on my face (several devices including the Braun) it seems to have triggered additional hair growth (which can happen) now I have to move electrolysis and it works, of course.
This is the best explanation of these issues that I have ever seen. I have struggled with this issue for 20 years and have tried all of these options except in office laser hair removal. At this point in my life, regular in office treatments would be too time consuming and I have little faith it would work to my satisfaction. I had electrolysis for 3 years weekly (sometimes multiple sessions lasting 30 minutes each) at $70 dollars a treatment and I still have facial hair. Electrolysis did thin my hair but it did not remove it completely like I was promised. It was so time consuming and also very painful. I would get sores on my chin. I stopped the electrolysis during the pandemic and have shifted back to a combination of shaving, plucking and using a medicated lotion. I will not go back on birth control or spironolactone which impacted the hair on my head, not on my face! I might get an at home light system again like Nood. My last one died after about 2 years of use. I will admit I feel pretty hopeless. I have spent thousands of dollars and still live with fear that others can see hair on my face. I recently saw a woman who had a full beard and I understood why she gave up. My own vanity is the only reason I keep trying.
I can’t shave it all. That creates horrible ingrown hairs on me which is painful and creates huge sores. I can only shave my upper lip (I don’t grown hair there that much).
I am sorry to hear that you feel hopeless. I understand. I have very light skin and very course dark hair on my body and my facial hair is now thicker and darker as I age. Try not to let it get to you. Try to think of all the things you like about yourself and remind yourself that you are a wonderful person. Don't feel bad about the time and money you spent. Modern society is sadly not very accepting of normal, average, regular people. Everyone is expected to look like a supermodel. I hope that changes in the near future. In the mean time, try to keep doing what works for you and remember to love yourself. 😊
I have PCOS and all the women in my family are hairy AF, so I have quite a bit of excess hair. I started doing laser hair removal sessions this year, and it has been life changing. I can’t wait to keep going with it on different parts of the body, especially my legs as I have super sensitive skin and am constantly battling irritation from shaving. It is worth noting, however, that I am very fair skinned, I never go tanning, and I have thick, dark body hair, so my genes make me the perfect candidate for laser hair removal. In fact, when I went in for my appointment yesterday, one of the nurses said I should be the poster child for good laser hair removal candidates lol. If anyone reading this is considering it, keep in mind that you do have to keep the treatment area out of direct sun (or the tanning bed) basically the whole time you’re getting it treated (which for me is every 8 weeks for 8 sessions), so if you like to lay out, this is not for you.
I have done electrolysis and that was the best money ever spent. (Only good for small areas because it is expensive and takes a long time) but that’s another good one
I wish this video existed twenty years ago! I have PCOS and never found birth control pills helpful for reducing hair growth. However, I’ve had good experience with laser hair removal for thick face and body hair. I still need to do maintenance treatments every now and then on the face, but arms, belly, and bikini line have stayed pretty bare for the past decade. I got the Braun Silk-Expert Pro-5 IPL device for Christmas last year and I’ve been very happy using it for my face maintenance and I’ve also been using it on my arms, hands, and legs with great success, but it is kind of a pain doing it once a week. It’s still way better than shaving or waxing! 🙌🏼
Sharon here: I am fair, and most of the excess facial hair I have is light colored. Years ago, I was told they cannot do electrolysis on hair that isn't dark. I was surprised to hear that it can be done on hair that isn't dark.
Sharon & Billy; electrolysis can absolutely be done on any hair and any colour hair. The light based treatments (IPL and laser) have restrictions based on the hair root colour as the light hits the root based on the colour and the colour differences to the skin the light is passing thru on its way to the root follicle
Thank you. This video is so extremely informative for everything around facial hair, holy moly. I have always struggled with, what I at least now consider to be minimal amounts of dark, thicker facial hair, but growing up I was usually just horrified having a relatively pale complexion and BLACK hairs on my face (and all body hair really), especially since the hair on my head is a dirty blonde kind of color. What luck.... But now all this info is here to think about, as I hope to eventually look into a more permanent solution, especially since the hairs I consider a problem are really only in small areas around my chin, especially when comparing it to someone who actually has a condition that makes it more of a problem than I have. Opting for a more permanent solution makes way more sense than keeping up with plucking or shaving, which always comes with the risk of irritation and breakouts with such a short time of being hair free.
I had never had a problem with facial hair until after I had a complete hysterectomy, at 35 years old. My OB/GYN put me on testosterone pills, the next time I went to see her she asked me how I was feeling. I told her I wasn’t feeling any different the only thing different was that I started growing hair on my chin, and upper lip. She said to stop taking the testosterone pills, but the hair on my chin never stopped growing so now I have to shave every day and I am now 63. thanks, Doc. 😕
It grows on my face so badly that even waxing can't get it off the roots. Now, everywhere I go, people tell me about it and it really gets on my nerves.
I had electrolysis done on my eyebrows when I was a teenager. I have a scar that runs partially through one brow and my mom was afraid I'd never be able to pluck my coarse dark brows well because of the placement of the scar. The first treatment was painful, mostly because I was tensing up. Once I learned what to expect and to relax I would actually fall asleep in the chair. It took several appointments over the course of 18 months (I was away at school), but it was the best decision. I love not having to worry about plucking and shaping my brows.
I wish I could afford electrolysis, but I can’t, so I use Nair & it works great. I’ve never had a sensitivity issue and I have somewhat sensitive skin. It lasts about 3 weeks & then you just do it again. I haven’t had an increase in hair due to menopause, which I’m thankful for, but a lot of my unwanted facial hair has turned white instead of the dark brown of almost all my hair. Some greys, but I own them. This was very helpful and informative. Thank you!
It's important to understand that paradoxical hypertrichosis, a rare side effect of laser hair removal, is more likely to occur in individuals with certain hair and skin characteristics, such as darker skin and thicker, darker hair. These characteristics are found across various ethnic groups and it is misleading to say it is mostly found in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern populations. By focusing on the physical traits rather than attributing the condition to specific ethnicities, we avoid creating stereotypes and ensure a more scientifically accurate understanding. This approach highlights the relevant factors that influence the likelihood of paradoxical hypertrichosis and provides better medical guidance without pigeonholing individuals based on their ethnicity.
I can attest to this, I am half persian, so I got it from doing Laser on my face. Currently correcting it with Electrolysis and wish I had done it from the start. As a rule of thumb, everything waist and down is good for laser. Everything waist and up is good for Electrolysis. Learned this from an Electrolysis herself.
Thank you so much for this clear and thorough information. It explained everything that pertains to me regarding the excess hair growth on my chin and other areas. Posted 8/2/24@11:12 AM.
Nice video!! I am middle eastern here and yes we are hairy females!! I do have very thin hair on my cheeks but I am always worried of removing them. I did try at home laser on for my chin area because it was super thick - hated it I gave it a good 4/5 months no improvements. I then switched to electrolysis only for my thin facial hair.. but then i started to form deep scars from each session so I quit. I am doing laser treatments it is great .. except for my hands since I have soft fine hair they seem to grow quick and it’s annoying. But I do like laser treatments however I need to get a touch up every 4-5 months or else I will notice some areas growing quicker.
Unfortunately, I have had male type of hair growth on my chin and below since my 20s and I am now 73. I had my hormones tested and everything was normal. At one point I did laser hair removal which helped but when my chin hairs started turning white I could no longer use this technique. I have been tweezing and shaving all this time and my chin is bumpy. It's some thing that I always try to hide because I find it embarrassing and difficult and difficult to be in relationships with it. I've never tried Nair. Do you have to let the hair grow out to a certain length in order for it to work? And how long does it take before the hair grows back? Ironically as I got older my super hairy Russian legs are now basically hairless and also the hair under my arms but the hair on my chin continues to grow!. So frustratingThanks for making this video.
I get electrolysis and the technician who does it told me I have to stop tweezing hairs on my face because it triggers or activates the hair follicles next to it. So you’ll think you have 1 hair you pluck and then a couple days later you think it’s back but it’s actually a new hair. Once I started electrolysis and stopped tweezing I realized I had a little cluster of thick black hairs in the same area.
Home IPL on my chin triggered additional hair growth; I am Anglo-Saxon heritage with fair skin and dark hair roots, so I good candidate. I also used home IPL years ago to treat underarms, lower legs (no dark or noticeable hairs on thighs), and bikini line; that worked great for me, but that device no longer had replacement lamps available, all newer devices (or because of it being a hormonal area) just trigger additional growth when used on my chin - so electrolsis for me there now, I find the chin mostly not painful but I do get a lot of redness and the first “round” of treatment had to be done of a long time with plenty of recovery time for my skin between sessions But if course - it works
Ask your doctor/dermatologist. Depends on how you’re taking it. As a retinol cream or as a prescription medicine? While on Accutane, I wasn’t allowed to, and for several months after. Hope that helps!
I bought a personal IPL device 18 months ago. Worked in my coarser hair but I had to be persistent: every week for the first year. Now I only do IPL weekly for underarms & pubic region which unfortunately (& sadly) are the areas I discovered I had more gray hair than I thought. Sigh! I keep hoping though. Rarely shave my legs now & do ‘maintenance IPL’ once a month. Shave under my arms twice a week for those annoying gray stragglers. Better than shaving every day.
@@mcharlie260 it’s a Braun. Was the latest model when I bought it. (About $800 Aust I think but cheaper than multiple professional treatments.) I do it at night sitting on my lounge watching my current favourite show. 😁
Hello Dr Ellis, thank you for this video. What about the pulsed light home device? Is it worth it? Is it just for the white/blond thin hair only...? Many thanks!
I think it depends on your hair follicle and again the hormones. I used it and found no results. However my cousin tried it and found great results. I know some companies have a 3 month guarantee to get a refund if you don’t see any improvements.
Something I rarely see mentioned re: electrolysis and that I think is worth knowing before getting into treatment is that it can take many sessions to achieve those permanent results! It seems to always be presented as a “one and done” solution, especially in comparison to IPL/laser but that’s just not the case. Every single hair to be treated will only be effectively destroyed if it is in the anagen phase of growth, assuming the practitioner zaps the bulb of each anagen-stage hair effectively. So multiple treatments are an absolute necessity. Furthermore, the hormonal shifts etc that can cause regrowth after laser hair removal can also activate previously dormant follicles, so while it’s true that hair cannot regrow from the follicle that was destroyed during electrolysis, new terminal hairs will likely still appear from other follicles following electrolysis. Source: Disillusioned (but still having it done!) electrolysis patient 😂
Agree! Also as someone with pcos and very persistent Facial hair- I personally found that the CORRECT laser treatments/administration - have worked wonders. In most areas of my body, permanently. Facial hair requires touch ups. The touch ups are barely felt, not often, and have lasting results. But this is after having very poor results with laser and finding the right place/approach etc. there is no magic answer but for me.. laser was and has been life changing over the past decade. Would highly recommend.
(essentially am just agreeing that the one and done idea is well.. not always the case. I suffered greatly through so many approaches and was in awe of the results I found after much trial and error. And finding someone who had a wide range of equipment and expertise in this area and it was shockingly not a dermatologist. Who I had seen many of, to no avail. Basically don’t be afraid to ask questions, research options, and not accept some silver bullet approach because in my experience it was a variety of things and finding what worked for me. And a person/place who worked with me on that.
Hey, Dr. Sam. I was wondering if there is an Eflornithine equivalent for use in men? Would really appreciate any information on this topic. Thank you in advance. Love your videos! 💙✨
I have had electrolysis for years. It is not permanent hair removal and it is expensive and for me very painful. I'm 76 now and seem to have more course dark hairs on the chin area. The funny thing is I don't have to shave my legs or underarms anymore. As I've gotten older, my skin is thinner which makes the electrolysis even more painful.
Has anyone here used NAIR?, my chin hairs are quite strong and now they're all white because I am 73. If anyone has used it I love to hear about your results and how often you have to use it. Thank you so much
I found weight loss and Metformin worked for me way better than anything else, the other stuff wasn't for anything else, I tried Lazer and didn't like it it wasn't permanent I'd like to try Nair or Electrolosys, also heard of the Spiro medication but didn't know what it was called I would never suggest the pill to any woman I wasn't on it for anything else
Hi Dr. Sam 🤍 Do you recommend using IPL devices ? Can we use the Ulike Air 10 device in the external genital area, specifically on the mons pubis, the labia majora and the skin around the areola, at the edge where there are usually hairs ? And also I wonder if it can also be used for the perianal zone? Thank you so much for making videosss and love Prequel 🤍
i shave more than my husband.. lol… I started electrolysis this summer. i’ve had 3 sessions/1 hr each session…. Oh my gosh does it hurt.!!😞😞So, I finally called my doc and she gave me a prescription for numbing cream. I’m sure hoping this helps.. I do my 4th session in a week🤞🏻🤞🏻
Referring to your comment about the requirement to continue any treatment for a condition.… I have a question about ivermectin and acetic acid as it relates to rosacea… I have type two rosacea and had a horrible flareup about two months ago started ivermectin and Azelaic acid15% and within six weeks, I am completely clear… Are these two treatments that must be continued for life or can be weaned off of it and still maintain clear skin?
Thank you! I am wondering what acne treatments/medications you would consider for a 25 year old female with congenital adrenal hyperplasia? She cannot take estrogen and wants to avoid oral prednisone/corticosteroids. I know this is not medical advice. I am wondering what other options are out there. Thank you.
Might be worth noting which activities and products patients should avoid to while undergoing various treatments, ie sun exposure, retin A, tret, etc. Many years ago, my mom got her face waxed while using retin A, yikes!
I had laser hair removal on my legs about 20 years ago. Worked great. However, over the last couple of years, when I’m in bed and stick my arm or leg out from under the covers, that instant cool makes my legs have a strange “shiver” like response. Weird.
I underwent laser hair removal on my face, but unfortunately, instead of reducing the hair, my fine facial hair became thicker and started growing faster. As a young girl, it's really difficult to deal with having so much thick hair on my face, Is there any way to reduce them?
Hi does micro needling or dermabrasion cause unwanted facial hair growth on women? Ive seen some men use the home device for their mustache and even on scalp to stimulate hair growth. I want to try micro needling but I’m afraid that it would cause facial hair growth. Pls answer. Thanks.
Thanks for the information. I do struggle with this issue daily. I recently came across information that showed you could add speriment oil to a facial moisturizer and that it would help remove hair, do you have any thoughts about that method? I was thinking of trying it.
Sorry for answering but please don’t waste your time and money unless you like the smell. Those people will also tell you that spearmint oil will help GROW hair on your head. They’re selling oil. Hair on your face is a hormonal issue, not necessarily a big issue, but needs to be discussed with your doctor. I suffered from hersitism for years with no help from my GP. Found a good OB/GYN who, at the age of 40, diagnosed me as having PCOS which very quickly solved a lifetimes worth of issues.
You could rather drink 2-3 cups of spearmint tea per day. It does lower excess testosterone, which causes the hyperandrogenism symptoms, such as facial hair.
You should rather drink 2-3 cups of spearmint tea per day. It lowers the excess testosterone caused usually by hyperandrogenism, therefore tempers its symptoms, such as excess facial hair.
About 15 yrs ago I tried laser for my little Italian mustasio, when after 4 treatments I saw zero improvement, I just started shaving, Fast forward 10 Yrs I started losing all my body hair, except my face and head...great, right. Only for 2 yrs...then slowly ----my body is CoMpLeTlY hairless, my hair (head) is thinning some, but my face is covered with fur! Brown, it brown, blonde and mostly white! I need to shave every 2 or 3 days. What could cause this? Old age, or totally weird?
♥️Dr Ellis,♥️best,Wonderful information ! Now I understand all about FACIAL hair ! I never had FACIL, arms,or legs,and no under arms . THAN ,Since I was in a Rehabilitation center in for 3 months they used STEROIDS and now a few in where I was perfect. Peach fuzz,to my understanding comes from one type of Retinol for acne .NOT ♥️🇺🇸THE AMERICAN NAME BRAND.♥️ I found out late in UA-cam.
mere facial hair ek ved g hi unki desi dvai se khatm hue hi r abi tk wapas bhi nhi aye hi. ar kisi ko hmesa k lye khtm krne hi to ved g se baat kro unka wp no mere pi/c me h
I have fair skin and black hair. As I approached, and then entered menopause, the hair growing on my face spiraled out of control. I was plucking chin and upper lip hairs every single day. Electrolysis made all the difference for me. I personally did not find it very painful at all. There was a stinging sensation which lasted a few seconds and then it was completely gone. My upper lip was more sensitive than my chin, but still very, very manageable. I had no irritation ever following the procedure. I am a very hairy person so it took a while to rid my face of the hair, but I am very happy with the results, which have been permanent for me. Absolutely no regrets and I found the cost very reasonable.
@@anaverran3040 so happy you found a great solution! And I’m impressed that you didn’t find electrolysis painful! That’s amazing.
Hello, thank you for your comment: can be you be specific on how many session per week you did? And if you need to go every day ...? If you don't mind sharing this detail.
Many thanks
@@AB-mh6nj I went once every couple of weeks for a long time (probably a year or so), then tapered off to once a month, and then only on an as needed basis. I knew it would take a long time, but I was ok with that and the results were worth it.
@@DrSamEllis Love your channel Dr. Ellis! I have never thought that I have a high pain tolerance, but maybe I do!
@@anaverran3040 thank you
I don't mind shaving, it's the stubble that bothers me 3 days later
I am 67 and I have had male like facial hair since I was 19. Went to several doctors. No one could tell me why, after testing, etc. i dont know if pcos was around in 1976, but it was never mentioned. So, i have been shaving almost daily ever since. Just my way of life, i guess.
If there is still pigment in that hair you can have it lasered and or electrolysis. It’s worth it if I were you. I had my armpit hair lasered and it got rid of most of my hair in those areas very good investment
Thanks for this detailed video especially about the causes of dark and thick hairs on women's face. The majority of derms or other people on youtube only say "PCOS" but clearly it's not the only cause as you mentioned. Understanding the roots help a lot to get rid of it or avoiding it to get worse. Some women actually have them lasered and the results were perfect like baby butt but then after a year to few years later, it came back. So it was like a band-aid on the problem instead of solving the problem temporary.
I love my Braun silk expert pro 5, I used it 2 years ago following the instructions, and my legs, bikini area and arms are free of dark hair still. My underarms are much sparser, I could do another round on my underarms, but it's so sparse that it's not that noticable and shaving is not irritating like it used to be. And I used to have ingrowns inflammation on my legs and underarms from sugar waxing, which IPL cleared up completely. One of my best beauty purchases.
Same! Love mine, too.
I had great luck with early IPLs and removed my leg, bikini, underarm hair. I have dark body hair and very fair skin so I am a good candidate for IPL. However when I used it on my face (several devices including the Braun) it seems to have triggered additional hair growth (which can happen) now I have to move electrolysis and it works, of course.
This is the best explanation of these issues that I have ever seen. I have struggled with this issue for 20 years and have tried all of these options except in office laser hair removal. At this point in my life, regular in office treatments would be too time consuming and I have little faith it would work to my satisfaction.
I had electrolysis for 3 years weekly (sometimes multiple sessions lasting 30 minutes each) at $70 dollars a treatment and I still have facial hair. Electrolysis did thin my hair but it did not remove it completely like I was promised. It was so time consuming and also very painful. I would get sores on my chin.
I stopped the electrolysis during the pandemic and have shifted back to a combination of shaving, plucking and using a medicated lotion. I will not go back on birth control or spironolactone which impacted the hair on my head, not on my face! I might get an at home light system again like Nood. My last one died after about 2 years of use.
I will admit I feel pretty hopeless. I have spent thousands of dollars and still live with fear that others can see hair on my face. I recently saw a woman who had a full beard and I understood why she gave up. My own vanity is the only reason I keep trying.
Just shave it. It works and it's way cheaper 💯
I can’t shave it all. That creates horrible ingrown hairs on me which is painful and creates huge sores. I can only shave my upper lip (I don’t grown hair there that much).
I am sorry to hear that you feel hopeless. I understand. I have very light skin and very course dark hair on my body and my facial hair is now thicker and darker as I age. Try not to let it get to you. Try to think of all the things you like about yourself and remind yourself that you are a wonderful person. Don't feel bad about the time and money you spent. Modern society is sadly not very accepting of normal, average, regular people. Everyone is expected to look like a supermodel. I hope that changes in the near future. In the mean time, try to keep doing what works for you and remember to love yourself. 😊
Did you have electrolysis with insulated needles?
Those are less likely to cause scars.
@@lorit8799 yes, I did. Luckily I don’t have any scars.
I have PCOS and all the women in my family are hairy AF, so I have quite a bit of excess hair. I started doing laser hair removal sessions this year, and it has been life changing. I can’t wait to keep going with it on different parts of the body, especially my legs as I have super sensitive skin and am constantly battling irritation from shaving. It is worth noting, however, that I am very fair skinned, I never go tanning, and I have thick, dark body hair, so my genes make me the perfect candidate for laser hair removal. In fact, when I went in for my appointment yesterday, one of the nurses said I should be the poster child for good laser hair removal candidates lol. If anyone reading this is considering it, keep in mind that you do have to keep the treatment area out of direct sun (or the tanning bed) basically the whole time you’re getting it treated (which for me is every 8 weeks for 8 sessions), so if you like to lay out, this is not for you.
I have done electrolysis and that was the best money ever spent. (Only good for small areas because it is expensive and takes a long time) but that’s another good one
Can you pleasssse make a video dedicated to laser hair removal? 🙏🏽🤞🏼❤️
You don’t need a video just get it done. Totally worth every penny
I wish this video existed twenty years ago! I have PCOS and never found birth control pills helpful for reducing hair growth. However, I’ve had good experience with laser hair removal for thick face and body hair. I still need to do maintenance treatments every now and then on the face, but arms, belly, and bikini line have stayed pretty bare for the past decade. I got the Braun Silk-Expert Pro-5 IPL device for Christmas last year and I’ve been very happy using it for my face maintenance and I’ve also been using it on my arms, hands, and legs with great success, but it is kind of a pain doing it once a week. It’s still way better than shaving or waxing! 🙌🏼
I have done electrolysis and that was the best money I’ve ever spent. It takes a long long time and it’s expensive. WORTH IT.
Sharon here: I am fair, and most of the excess facial hair I have is light colored. Years ago, I was told they cannot do electrolysis on hair that isn't dark. I was surprised to hear that it can be done on hair that isn't dark.
None of these things work on grey hair
Sharon & Billy; electrolysis can absolutely be done on any hair and any colour hair.
The light based treatments (IPL and laser) have restrictions based on the hair root colour as the light hits the root based on the colour and the colour differences to the skin the light is passing thru on its way to the root follicle
Thank you. This video is so extremely informative for everything around facial hair, holy moly. I have always struggled with, what I at least now consider to be minimal amounts of dark, thicker facial hair, but growing up I was usually just horrified having a relatively pale complexion and BLACK hairs on my face (and all body hair really), especially since the hair on my head is a dirty blonde kind of color. What luck.... But now all this info is here to think about, as I hope to eventually look into a more permanent solution, especially since the hairs I consider a problem are really only in small areas around my chin, especially when comparing it to someone who actually has a condition that makes it more of a problem than I have. Opting for a more permanent solution makes way more sense than keeping up with plucking or shaving, which always comes with the risk of irritation and breakouts with such a short time of being hair free.
I had never had a problem with facial hair until after I had a complete hysterectomy, at 35 years old. My OB/GYN put me on testosterone pills, the next time I went to see her she asked me how I was feeling. I told her I wasn’t feeling any different the only thing different was that I started growing hair on my chin, and upper lip. She said to stop taking the testosterone pills, but the hair on my chin never stopped growing so now I have to shave every day and I am now 63. thanks, Doc. 😕
I am using electrolysis for hair removal. It has worked very well for me and I continue to have some maintenance removal done every 3 months.
It grows on my face so badly that even waxing can't get it off the roots. Now, everywhere I go, people tell me about it and it really gets on my nerves.
I had electrolysis done on my eyebrows when I was a teenager. I have a scar that runs partially through one brow and my mom was afraid I'd never be able to pluck my coarse dark brows well because of the placement of the scar. The first treatment was painful, mostly because I was tensing up. Once I learned what to expect and to relax I would actually fall asleep in the chair. It took several appointments over the course of 18 months (I was away at school), but it was the best decision. I love not having to worry about plucking and shaping my brows.
I wish I could afford electrolysis, but I can’t, so I use Nair & it works great. I’ve never had a sensitivity issue and I have somewhat sensitive skin. It lasts about 3 weeks & then you just do it again. I haven’t had an increase in hair due to menopause, which I’m thankful for, but a lot of my unwanted facial hair has turned white instead of the dark brown of almost all my hair. Some greys, but I own them. This was very helpful and informative. Thank you!
Try a beauty school they usually do it at discounted rates.
I justvget a little peach fuzz and use the Bic sillky toich razor. I absoloutely hate having any hair on my fave. Great topic to cover Dr Sam
It's important to understand that paradoxical hypertrichosis, a rare side effect of laser hair removal, is more likely to occur in individuals with certain hair and skin characteristics, such as darker skin and thicker, darker hair. These characteristics are found across various ethnic groups and it is misleading to say it is mostly found in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern populations.
By focusing on the physical traits rather than attributing the condition to specific ethnicities, we avoid creating stereotypes and ensure a more scientifically accurate understanding. This approach highlights the relevant factors that influence the likelihood of paradoxical hypertrichosis and provides better medical guidance without pigeonholing individuals based on their ethnicity.
I can attest to this, I am half persian, so I got it from doing Laser on my face. Currently correcting it with Electrolysis and wish I had done it from the start. As a rule of thumb, everything waist and down is good for laser. Everything waist and up is good for Electrolysis. Learned this from an Electrolysis herself.
Thank you so much for this clear and thorough
information. It explained everything that pertains to me regarding the excess hair growth on my chin and other areas. Posted 8/2/24@11:12 AM.
Nice video!! I am middle eastern here and yes we are hairy females!! I do have very thin hair on my cheeks but I am always worried of removing them. I did try at home laser on for my chin area because it was super thick - hated it I gave it a good 4/5 months no improvements. I then switched to electrolysis only for my thin facial hair.. but then i started to form deep scars from each session so I quit. I am doing laser treatments it is great .. except for my hands since I have soft fine hair they seem to grow quick and it’s annoying. But I do like laser treatments however I need to get a touch up every 4-5 months or else I will notice some areas growing quicker.
This was really informative and educational, ive learned some things here.
Unfortunately, I have had male type of hair growth on my chin and below since my 20s and I am now 73. I had my hormones tested and everything was normal. At one point I did laser hair removal which helped but when my chin hairs started turning white I could no longer use this technique. I have been tweezing and shaving all this time and my chin is bumpy. It's some thing that I always try to hide because I find it embarrassing and difficult and difficult to be in relationships with it. I've never tried Nair. Do you have to let the hair grow out to a certain length in order for it to work? And how long does it take before the hair grows back? Ironically as I got older my super hairy Russian legs are now basically hairless and also the hair under my arms but the hair on my chin continues to grow!. So frustratingThanks for making this video.
Can you please address tweezing? Thank you.
I get electrolysis and the technician who does it told me I have to stop tweezing hairs on my face because it triggers or activates the hair follicles next to it. So you’ll think you have 1 hair you pluck and then a couple days later you think it’s back but it’s actually a new hair. Once I started electrolysis and stopped tweezing I realized I had a little cluster of thick black hairs in the same area.
I've heard that too, and also have heard that it's not true. I don't know what to believe
Great video, thank you for sharing your expertise.
Home IPL on my chin triggered additional hair growth; I am Anglo-Saxon heritage with fair skin and dark hair roots, so I good candidate. I also used home IPL years ago to treat underarms, lower legs (no dark or noticeable hairs on thighs), and bikini line; that worked great for me, but that device no longer had replacement lamps available, all newer devices (or because of it being a hormonal area) just trigger additional growth when used on my chin - so electrolsis for me there now, I find the chin mostly not painful but I do get a lot of redness and the first “round” of treatment had to be done of a long time with plenty of recovery time for my skin between sessions
But if course - it works
I’m trying the brand musely facial hair cream! I just started it a few days ago but I’m excited to see if it works!
I use that same cream from Musely and it has helped. I hope it works for you!
Thank you for this video!!
Omg I'm so excited!!❤
Can you use tretinoin with IPL? Xx
Ask your doctor/dermatologist. Depends on how you’re taking it. As a retinol cream or as a prescription medicine? While on Accutane, I wasn’t allowed to, and for several months after. Hope that helps!
I bought a personal IPL device 18 months ago. Worked in my coarser hair but I had to be persistent: every week for the first year. Now I only do IPL weekly for underarms & pubic region which unfortunately (& sadly) are the areas I discovered I had more gray hair than I thought. Sigh! I keep hoping though. Rarely shave my legs now & do ‘maintenance IPL’ once a month. Shave under my arms twice a week for those annoying gray stragglers. Better than shaving every day.
which one did you bought? (IPL)
Which IPL device do you use?
@@mcharlie260 it’s a Braun. Was the latest model when I bought it. (About $800 Aust I think but cheaper than multiple professional treatments.) I do it at night sitting on my lounge watching my current favourite show. 😁
what about epilatores for hair removal?
Hello Dr Ellis, thank you for this video. What about the pulsed light home device? Is it worth it? Is it just for the white/blond thin hair only...? Many thanks!
I think it depends on your hair follicle and again the hormones. I used it and found no results. However my cousin tried it and found great results. I know some companies have a 3 month guarantee to get a refund if you don’t see any improvements.
Would face creams that have estrogen in them help with excess facial hair at all? Just thinking the estrogen might help us menopausal ladies…
Something I rarely see mentioned re: electrolysis and that I think is worth knowing before getting into treatment is that it can take many sessions to achieve those permanent results! It seems to always be presented as a “one and done” solution, especially in comparison to IPL/laser but that’s just not the case. Every single hair to be treated will only be effectively destroyed if it is in the anagen phase of growth, assuming the practitioner zaps the bulb of each anagen-stage hair effectively. So multiple treatments are an absolute necessity.
Furthermore, the hormonal shifts etc that can cause regrowth after laser hair removal can also activate previously dormant follicles, so while it’s true that hair cannot regrow from the follicle that was destroyed during electrolysis, new terminal hairs will likely still appear from other follicles following electrolysis.
Source: Disillusioned (but still having it done!) electrolysis patient 😂
Agree! Also as someone with pcos and very persistent Facial hair- I personally found that the CORRECT laser treatments/administration - have worked wonders. In most areas of my body, permanently. Facial hair requires touch ups. The touch ups are barely felt, not often, and have lasting results. But this is after having very poor results with laser and finding the right place/approach etc. there is no magic answer but for me.. laser was and has been life changing over the past decade. Would highly recommend.
(essentially am just agreeing that the one and done idea is well.. not always the case. I suffered greatly through so many approaches and was in awe of the results I found after much trial and error. And finding someone who had a wide range of equipment and expertise in this area and it was shockingly not a dermatologist. Who I had seen many of, to no avail.
Basically don’t be afraid to ask questions, research options, and not accept some silver bullet approach because in my experience it was a variety of things and finding what worked for me. And a person/place who worked with me on that.
Why do people talk so fast nowadays? 🤔
Hey, Dr. Sam. I was wondering if there is an Eflornithine equivalent for use in men? Would really appreciate any information on this topic. Thank you in advance. Love your videos! 💙✨
It is a non hormonal cream so it can be used for men too.
I have had electrolysis for years. It is not permanent hair removal and it is expensive and for me very painful. I'm 76 now and seem to have more course dark hairs on the chin area. The funny thing is I don't have to shave my legs or underarms anymore. As I've gotten older, my skin is thinner which makes the electrolysis even more painful.
Has anyone here used NAIR?, my chin hairs are quite strong and now they're all white because I am 73. If anyone has used it I love to hear about your results and how often you have to use it. Thank you so much
I found weight loss and Metformin worked for me way better than anything else, the other stuff wasn't for anything else, I tried Lazer and didn't like it it wasn't permanent I'd like to try Nair or Electrolosys, also heard of the Spiro medication but didn't know what it was called I would never suggest the pill to any woman I wasn't on it for anything else
Hi Dr. Sam 🤍
Do you recommend using IPL devices ?
Can we use the Ulike Air 10 device in the external genital area, specifically on the mons pubis, the labia majora and the skin around the areola, at the edge where there are usually hairs ?
And also I wonder if it can also be used for the perianal zone?
Thank you so much for making videosss and love Prequel 🤍
i shave more than my husband.. lol… I started electrolysis this summer. i’ve had 3 sessions/1 hr each session…. Oh my gosh does it hurt.!!😞😞So, I finally called my doc and she gave me a prescription for numbing cream. I’m sure hoping this helps.. I do my 4th session in a week🤞🏻🤞🏻
I have some thick hair growing over my upper lip and on my chin, but it seems to be normal in my family.
Thank you 😊 ❤
what products do you recommend to help with flyaway (baby) hairs?
Love from tripura
Referring to your comment about the requirement to continue any treatment for a condition.… I have a question about ivermectin and acetic acid as it relates to rosacea… I have type two rosacea and had a horrible flareup about two months ago started ivermectin and Azelaic acid15% and within six weeks, I am completely clear… Are these two treatments that must be continued for life or can be weaned off of it and still maintain clear skin?
Mewing
Thank you! I am wondering what acne treatments/medications you would consider for a 25 year old female with congenital adrenal hyperplasia? She cannot take estrogen and wants to avoid oral prednisone/corticosteroids. I know this is not medical advice. I am wondering what other options are out there. Thank you.
What hair removal treatment for the body would work best if you have melasma?
Might be worth noting which activities and products patients should avoid to while undergoing various treatments, ie sun exposure, retin A, tret, etc. Many years ago, my mom got her face waxed while using retin A, yikes!
What do you think of the alkaline wash treatment? I get this done from a beauty therapist.
I had laser hair removal on my legs about 20 years ago. Worked great. However, over the last couple of years, when I’m in bed and stick my arm or leg out from under the covers, that instant cool makes my legs have a strange “shiver” like response. Weird.
I underwent laser hair removal on my face, but unfortunately, instead of reducing the hair, my fine facial hair became thicker and started growing faster. As a young girl, it's really difficult to deal with having so much thick hair on my face, Is there any way to reduce them?
Does azelaic acid can cause facial hair growth
Hi does micro needling or dermabrasion cause unwanted facial hair growth on women? Ive seen some men use the home device for their mustache and even on scalp to stimulate hair growth. I want to try micro needling but I’m afraid that it would cause facial hair growth. Pls answer. Thanks.
Joy, I've had both and neither stimulated hair growth.
I’m on HRT so I have more hair on my face & have hair loss on my head.
Could you please address paradoxical hypertrichosis
And how to treat if unfortunately you become a victim of it
Is it safe to use home laser devices if you use tretitoin? TYIA
You're not supposed to use IPL devices while using retinoids. You have to wait at least a week. Most brands specify this in the instructions.
Thanks for the information. I do struggle with this issue daily. I recently came across information that showed you could add speriment oil to a facial moisturizer and that it would help remove hair, do you have any thoughts about that method? I was thinking of trying it.
Sorry for answering but please don’t waste your time and money unless you like the smell. Those people will also tell you that spearmint oil will help GROW hair on your head. They’re selling oil. Hair on your face is a hormonal issue, not necessarily a big issue, but needs to be discussed with your doctor. I suffered from hersitism for years with no help from my GP. Found a good OB/GYN who, at the age of 40, diagnosed me as having PCOS which very quickly solved a lifetimes worth of issues.
You could rather drink 2-3 cups of spearmint tea per day. It does lower excess testosterone, which causes the hyperandrogenism symptoms, such as facial hair.
You should rather drink 2-3 cups of spearmint tea per day. It lowers the excess testosterone caused usually by hyperandrogenism, therefore tempers its symptoms, such as excess facial hair.
What did she treat you with, if you don't mind sharing?
What do you think about spearmint tea?? Does it work?
When I’ve had waxing done I get terrible acne, lumps and bumps everywhere so I’ve stopped doing it.
On legs too?
Please please reply, tell me can i do electrolysis on nose also ? If i am not fat but very slim person
About 15 yrs ago I tried laser for my little Italian mustasio, when after 4 treatments I saw zero improvement, I just started shaving, Fast forward 10 Yrs I started losing all my body hair, except my face and head...great, right. Only for 2 yrs...then slowly ----my body is CoMpLeTlY hairless, my hair (head) is thinning some, but my face is covered with fur! Brown, it brown, blonde and mostly white! I need to shave every 2 or 3 days. What could cause this? Old age, or totally weird?
I though eflornithine was taken off the market??
@@imacoqn1610 hi! Brand-name eflornthine (Vaniqa) was discontinued, but it’s still available at compounding pharmacies!
How did you get your jaw so wide? I want a jaw that wide
ipl
♥️Dr Ellis,♥️best,Wonderful information ! Now I understand all about FACIAL hair ! I never had FACIL, arms,or legs,and no under arms . THAN ,Since I was in a Rehabilitation center in for 3 months they used STEROIDS and now a few in where I was perfect. Peach fuzz,to my understanding comes from one type of Retinol for acne .NOT ♥️🇺🇸THE AMERICAN NAME BRAND.♥️ I found out late in UA-cam.
Women with beards are hot
mere facial hair ek ved g hi unki desi dvai se khatm hue hi r abi tk wapas bhi nhi aye hi. ar kisi ko hmesa k lye khtm krne hi to ved g se baat kro unka wp no mere pi/c me h